On October 22, 2018, Les Parent, RCP, was awarded the PHIL Award at Huntington
Hospital’s Annual PHIL Award ceremony during Respiratory Care Week.
This annual award is part of The FACES Foundation’s* program to
recognize exemplary respiratory care. The PHIL Award is the only nationally
recognized hospital-based program that honors outstanding respiratory
therapists, as nominated by patients, their family members, and other
caregivers. PHIL stands for ‘Pulmonary Health and Illnesses of the
Lungs’.

Les was nominated by a patient’s family member who wrote,“Les stood out to us because of his passion for his work and love
for kids, although strict and stern – Les showed us he really cared.
He was knowledgeable and well-versed and educated us with the process
and why things were happening. Les and our son developed a great relationship
and by his last treatment, Les was known as Uncle Les.”

Les has worked at Huntington Hospital since 1973 and has been an instrumental
member of our department, especially in our pediatric areas. Les said
that he was very honored to have won the award. Taking care and making
a difference in peoples’ lives has been very fulfilling to him over
the last 45 years. Congratulations Les! Ronnie Bueno, RCP, Kevin Durston,
RCP, and Jake Miller, RCP were also nominated for the 2018 PHIL Award.
All nominees received a certificate with a laminated copy of their nominations
and a gift card to the Huntington Concierge.

Each year, Huntington Hospital’s Phil Award committee will select
one therapist from all of the nominations it has received. The recipient
will be honored during the award ceremony and presented with a certificate
and an award sculpture entitled Appreciation, which was adapted by creator
MK Shannon especially for The PHIL Award. The recipient also receives
a full scholarship for the following year’s state respiratory conference.
PHIL Award nomination forms are available on all units. They can be mailed
to the PHIL Award committee c/o Respiratory Department or emailed to ThePHILAward@huntingtonhospital.com.
The volunteer office can also pick-up any nominations, and they can be
placed in the PHIL Award bin at the staffing office. The nominations are
then brought to the committee and reviewed quarterly. Those nominations
are blinded so that the committee does not know who the person nominated is.

Breathing is natural and is the essence of life. Patients with lung disease
cherish every difficult breath they take. Let’s continue to honor
the respiratory professionals that strive to make every breath as easy
as possible.

* The FACES Foundation is a Michigan-based national-profit organization
founded in 2006 by Sharman Lamka in memory of her husband Philip C. Lamka.
Phil died as a result of complications from an interstitial lung disease.
The mission of The FACES Foundation is to acknowledge and promote professional
excellence in the education and care of patients with life-threatening
lung diseases. Learn more at www.thefacesfoundation.org.